14 New Zealand Souvenirs for Your Friends and Family

It’s time to redeem yourself!

If you’ve left your friends and family for several months to do a working holiday in New Zealand then you can’t go home empty handed, can you? Here are a mix of thoughtful gifts and fun stuff to bring home for your loved ones. Whether you’re looking for something ridiculously touristy or something that Kiwis consume regularly, then these New Zealand souvenirs are bound to put a smile on your friends’ and family’s face. What’s more, we are almost certain these souvenirs will survive the plane journey home…

1. Jade Necklace

Jade, otherwise known as greenstone or pounamu, necklaces are everywhere, EVERYWHERE! There is sure to be a Maori symbol carved from jade to match your special bond with the gift receiver. Traditionally, you are only supposed to buy a jade necklace with the intention of giving it as a gift. Not for yourself. For more information on picking the perfect jade necklace, check out The Greenstone Pendant Meanings. Did you know you can also find your own greenstone and carve it? See 10 Tips to Find Greenstone in Hokitika.

2. Whittaker’s Chocolate

Whittaker’s Chocolate is a brand from New Zealand, which you can tell your friends and family is a classic Kiwi item. Because it is chocolate, then who can complain?! The only problem here is choosing a flavour! For more food products in New Zealand, check out 10 Foods You Have to Try in New Zealand.

3. Merino Wool

Give your granny some merino wool clothing to symbolise the obscene amount of sheep there are in New Zealand. On a more serious note, merino wool is notoriously soft and warm, used in all kinds of clothing from fashionable scarves to underlayers for outdoors enthusiasts. You can find merino wool garments in souvenir shops and most New Zealand-brand clothing stores.

4. Charm Bracelet

New Zealand charms are a thing! Get some pretty special New Zealand charm jewellery for pretty special people. Both popular brands and more affordable branded-charms can be found in jewellery stores around New Zealand. Here is our favourite charm:

5. Witty Kiwiana T-shirt

So they didn’t get to go to New Zealand but your friends can feel like they have through wearing this T-shirt.

6. New Zealand wine

New Zealand is one of the world’s leading wine-producing countries, particularly famous for its Sauvignon Blanc. Bring your family a bottle or two of New Zealand’s finest wines. Popular wine regions are Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa.

8. The one ring

This is Middle-earth, right? Get your nerdy friend something made by the team who produced props for The Lord of the Rings. Weta Cave in Wellington has a whole bunch of cool and quirky stuff, which Jens Hansen Ringmakers in Nelson make the official One Rings!

9. Sheep Droppings

Show how ridiculously hilarious you are by offering your pals some sheep droppings all the way from New Zealand.

10. Kiwi Stuffed Toy

Wow, could this kiwi bird get anymore New Zealand-like?

11. All Blacks Rugby Shirt

For the rugby-enthusiast in your life. They too can look like one of the All Blacks.

12. Manuka Honey

It’s the ultimate New Zealand power food! Manuka honey is famous all over the world so no doubt you friends and family will have heard of it. Manuka honey is readily available all over New Zealand, even in supermarkets, whereas it’s quite hard to find in other countries. Therefore, this is an easy New Zealand souvenir for you to pick up.

13. Possom Nipple Warmers

The best kind of nipple warmers, we like to think…

14. A Postcard

Maybe you are never going home? Just send your family a scenic New Zealand postcard then they will understand why you have stayed. To make it extra special, send the postcard from Cape Reinga, the very north of the North Island, where the stamp used makes it a collectable.

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